Stories of Hope

March 17, 2025. Jackson, Mississippi.

We hadn’t planned on seeing Jackson’s state capitol today, but our other plans fell through for the day and we were gifted with some additional time in the afternoon. We pulled our Classy Girl from Montgomery to Jackson and stopped at the capitol on the way to our RV Park where we stayed west of Jackson. Fortunately there was parking big enough; a security guard showed us where we could park so we felt safe leaving our Classy Girl there. She thanked us later, as she always wanted to see a State Capitol up close.

Third time’s a charm! We finally managed to get a tour guide to show us around. The building is quite impressive. According to Wikipedia, “architect Theodore Link used the new technology of electric lighting when designing the Capitol and incorporated 4,750 electric fixtures, which are still being used today.”  The guide reminded us that electricity was only starting to enter the picture, so it was an awe-inspiring experience when people arrived and saw all the floors lit up. People came from far away just to see the lights. The architect didn’t know how many lights it would require, so he may have gone a bit overboard. However, the building is designed after the French Beaux-Arts Architecture, which is quite ornate and majestic, reminiscent of an old-style theatre.

This state’s legislature was in session, as we previously experienced in Atlanta. They were a bit more protective of their senators, so we could not take pictures in the House and Senate chambers, but we did get to go inside and look around from the gallery with our tour guide, in addition to hearing some interesting stories along the way. Wish I had a picture, but the architecture is similar to what you see here.

Outside the House of Representatives we stopped to look at some of the former members. One name kept popping up, taking our eyes off all others in the frame: John Grisham.

The tour guide spilled the tea. She remembers when Grisham was talking about his novel to various people in the building, while he was still a state representative. They all laughed at him behind his back, having no idea how famous he would be one day. He failed English in his Community College class, but a law instructor saw the value in his writing and he went on to be a lawyer. Did you know he is one of only three anglophones (English-speakers) to sell 2 million copies of the first printing? No one is laughing now! Let that be a lesson to us all. You simply can’t judge someone’s future. Encourage them. They may be the next best astronaut, author, inventor, or physician who finds the cure for cancer.

And I’ve digressed. I actually took fewer pictures in this Capitol than most. We were a little tired, and we were also not permitted to take pictures where I would normally take them. Here are a few pictures of the inside.

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À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

March 17, 2025. Montgomery Alabama.

After leaving Georgia, we towed our Airstream to Montgomery Alabama where we spent two nights. We toured the Capitol as well as The Legacy Sites. The Capitol is not open on the weekends, so we walked around the grounds and visited the Legacy sites on Sunday and then went back the next day to see the inside of the Capitol. You can see all three Legacy Sites for a mere $5.00 (The Legacy Museum, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and Freedom Monument Sculpture Park). Did you know the Confederacy was started here? We also visited the First White House of the Confederacy. Montgomery’s history is very interesting, as are the stories of those who monitor these sites. My book club just finished reading two books from the first person perspective of slaves who escaped and gained their freedom, so it was appropriately timed for us to see what I have been reading about. This blog will primarily cover the Capitol building, but I recommend seeing all of what Montgomery has to offer if you get the chance. You will learn a lot!

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They don’t offer tours of the Capitol unless you come with a large group (mostly schools), so once again we were on our own. It turns out the building is no longer used for legislature. They have their own separate building (which you can also tour, but it’s just a bunch of offices). This Capitol is here for more historic purposes, basically a museum rather than a working government building like the others we have seen. 

The original rotunda has some interesting factoids. The interior finish was originally very plain. Ornate plasterwork, marble floor and vestibules to House and Senate Chambers were added 1906-1912. Murals depicting scenes from Alabama history painted by Mobile artist Roderick MacKenzie 1927-1930. Building was restored to circa 1930’s appearance.

The eight murals beneath the Dome illustrating Alabama’s history are seen in the video below. They were painted on canvas by one artist named above, and then mounted on the walls. It took him three years to complete them all.

A few other artifacts are found in the House Chambers. Two were of interest to me: The ART LAUREL STOVE #16 (c. 1904. Constructed of nickel and embellished with nickel relief and lions heads, the Art Laurel stove #16 was considered to be the top of line model in stove construction. A 1904 catalog described it as “the highest type of base burner construction, surpassing all other base burners in appearance, in heating capacity and economy of fuel.“) and one (of the few remaining) GARDNER CHAIR, (c. 1879. made by the nationally renowned furniture maker, Gardner and Compary of New York. After the furniture was in place, Secretary of State W. W. Screws praised the Gardner Company by stating that he “greatly admired (the furniture) for its strength of make and its handsome appearance.” On loan from the Alabama Department of Archives and History Montgomery, Alabama).

Next we visited the Senate Chamber (1851-1985). One oddity we witnessed was what appeared to be spittoons at the end of the front rows. It was this point where we wished we had a tour guide to tell us more about it.

The Senate was restored to its 1861 appearance, when southern delegates met here to organize Confederate States of America. You will see original “Egyptian” marble mantelpieces and the gallery columns were painted to imitate bronze. It has replicas of original desks and chairs, as well as oil-burning chandelier and column sconces. Period carpet was installed: 27-inch strips hand-sewn in traditional manner.

We walked down the spiral staircase to the first floor, which also holds a unique history. A formerly enslaved man, Horace King, was commissioned to design and construct these twin staircases. Enslaved individuals played a crucial role in building cities, bridges, railroads, and more, yet their contributions were often overlooked. It was meaningful to see his story acknowledged in the brochure.

To wrap things up, I’ll include a few random pictures of the Legacy Sites and contrasting First White House of the Confederacy. I’m thankful my family was not born into bondage, and we never had to endure the horrors of slavery. However, I think it’s important to note we are all born into the bondage of sin. We can only be free by accepting the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior. Regardless of our background, ancestry, race, or ethnicity, He is the ultimate unifier.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of Alabama’s State Capitol, and some of the history of Montgomery. Don’t hesitate to go there!

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In case you missed it, I write these blogs to glorify God. He is allowing me to live life abundantly even though I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. It’s only by His good graces that I am still alive today. I want to share the places we visit in addition to updates about my cancer journey as I know my many friends are traveling both journeys with me.

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À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

On our way from Florida to Texas, we took a circuitous route through three neighboring states to visit their state capitols and mark yet another state (Georgia) on our Airstream map. While I can condense the information from these marvelous stops into one blog each, you may want to go and visit them all to see for yourself!

March 13, 2025. Atlanta Georgia.

We spent the day in Atlanta and earned two passport stamps. One for the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and one for the State Capitol. The Carter Center is also worth a visit, although I was a little disappointed in the lack of display or mention regarding his recent death. On to the Capitol.

A bit of history of the Capitol for the “buffs” (from the brochure). In 1868, Atlanta became Georgia’s fifth permanent capital city. James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia in February of 1733, on the site of present-day Savannah, which was Georgia’s first capital. After the Revolutionary War, the General Assembly met alternately in Savannah and Augusta. As Georgia grew the capital city moved to Augusta in 1786, Louisville in 1796, Milledgeville in 1807, and, finally, Atlanta in 1868. The General Assembly first met in the Atlanta City Hall/Fulton County Courthouse before relocating to the nearby Kimball Opera House. In 1883, the legislature appropriated $1 million for a new building. Designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke and Franklin P. Burnham and built by Miles and Horne of Toledo, Ohio, construction began in October 1884 and finished in 1889– $118.43 under budget. The new Georgia Capitol was built using many of the state’s natural resources. Georgia marble is only found on the interior due to high cost. The Capitol’s exterior is Indiana limestone. The Capitol was dedicated as a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

The dome is not the tallest, nor is it the most exquisite. But it still made me stop long enough to get dizzy while looking up.

The fourth floor comprises a museum of Georgia artifacts, gems, agriculture, fun facts and oddities. Probably the most intriguing are the two-headed cow and two-headed snake. These reminded me of the movie Dupont, and made me wonder if there was something in the water from where these animals drank. Here are a few pictures from the museum. One could spend a lot of time reading everything up there.

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À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

February 7, 2025. Tallahassee, Florida.

We finally made it to Florida! The weather is so beautiful, as one would expect (hope for) in the Sunshine State. The humidity so common in the summer months has not yet arrived, and we have had a nice pleasant breeze so far. We left Texas two days ago wearing shorts and t-shirts, stopped in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and then on to Tallahassee, where we visited the State Capitol.

I wouldn’t say this is the most exclusive of the buildings we have toured. After seeing 17 to date, we have a general idea of what capitols might include. Big domes, cupolas, grand marble staircases and columns, famous artwork, rare and exotic wood, historic artifacts, governor’s office, senate, house, and the supreme court amongst other things. Tallahassee has a new capitol building that is 22 stories high with an observation deck overlooking the city. It houses all the current workforce. The New Capitol overshadows and dwarfs the smaller, Old (Historic) Capitol, which the state outgrew many years ago and has since been turned into a museum.

This is the fourth building to serve as a capitol for Florida. A log cabin served as the first capitol, erected just two days after Tallahassee became a territory in 1824 (Florida would later become a state in 1845). The cabin was replaced by a 2-story frame structure. The third Capitol was built in 1845. (Can you guess why? Hint: the date.) They considered demolishing that Old Capitol building, but thankfully cooler heads prevailed. The Old Capitol was restored to its 1902 state, and is now home to a museum similar to the ones we have seen in so many of the other capitols we have visited. The New (current) Capitol was built between the years 1973-1977, and opened in March of 1978.

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This building does have a couple of interesting features. The State Capitol is one of four official Welcome Centers for the State of Florida. We stopped at the one in Pensacola and got some free orange juice, which they do not serve at this one. I’m not sure other state capitols have official welcome centers inside their buildings. Wikipedia was not helpful.

The lower floors have a nice display of the Florida State Seal, Florida Halls of Famers, and Florida fun facts. Of course there are chambers for the House of Representatives and Florida Senate where we looked down on from the galleries, but we couldn’t go inside.

An interesting carving titled “Resilience” is on display outside the State Senate. The plaque tells the story of the carving and the wood, which I’ll repeat here as well.

This distinctive wood is unique to the Southeastern and Gulf Coastal Plains. The holes within the wood occur when a fungus enters a cypress tree after a limb falls or an injury to the tree occurs, typically in cypress trees more than 100 years old. Over time, the holes grow in number and size; however, the spring fed, low oxygen waters of certain Florida rivers protect the wood from decomposition. Estimates indicate the cypress wood used in this sculpture was originally harvested during Florida’s Steamboat Era, the time of the territorial State Senate.

We enjoyed visiting both the New and Old Capitol buildings. The New Capitol has an enclosed observation deck on the 22nd level, overlooking the city. It was foggy and cloudy when we went up there, so we couldn’t see very far away, which of course was disappointing. Try to go on a sunny day if you have options. Two groups from very different schools were also touring the building. It was interesting to see the first group, dressed in street clothes. They were not necessarily unruly, but they didn’t demonstrate the same decorum and level of respect as the second group, dressed in Ivy League uniforms.

Art exhibits are rotated on the top floor. Famous Noh Masks were on display around the deck when we were there. There are a few other interesting pieces of art, but otherwise, it’s a pretty neutral building. The exterior is also under construction, which makes it hard to find one’s way around to the visitor’s entrance. The Old Capitol has a small dome with stained glass,

One thing that really impressed me about this capitol was the elevator system. I know! It’s not a big deal, right? But it was the first time I have seen this technology in use. It has apparently only been around for the past few years, and is used in tall buildings around the world. Quite cool if you ask me. Watch this brief video of us using the elevator system, and be sure to watch to the end for views from the observation deck (and Noh masks).

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There is a glass dome, which is a replica because the old one was removed when it started leaking within the first year after it was installed. Interesting fact: When they restored the building to its 1902 glorious self, they found over 100 pounds of broken dome glass in the walls of the building. The original glass was made by the Opalescent Glass Works, who also made the glass used by Louis Comfort Tiffany in their famed lamp designs. Perhaps hiding it in the walls was some worker’s way of saving the beautiful glass pieces. Or, it was simply easier than throwing it all away. Makes me wonder what we will find inside the walls of our new house that is currently under construction. The things that make you go “hmmm.”

Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court in the Old Capitol are interesting to look at. Hard to believe Florida population used to be small enough to only need a building this size.

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I hope you enjoyed our little tour of the Florida Capitol. Sign in and comment below to let us know what you think! I promise we won’t bug you or send you a bunch of spam emails, but it will give you an opportunity to interact with us in the comments.

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À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!

November 1, 2024. Frankfort Kentucky.

I grew up in southern Ohio, and I remember hearing as well as repeating this joke. How do you pronounce the capitol of Kentucky: Lou-EE-ville, or Lou-IS-ville? Answer: Neither, it’s Frankfort (insert rimshot) 🤪.

The entrance to the building is nicely decorated with flowers, paths, and street parking big enough for a King Ranch pulling an Airstream 😁. It was a little confusing as to where we should enter the building, as the signs were misleading. We just missed an opportunity to enter the Capitol a day earlier. Costumed trick or treaters were given candy by the governor inside the building last night. Mischievous ghosts and goblins might account for the entrance signs leading you in a circle 😂. But today we were the first (and sole) visitors, so it was a peaceful tour. 

The guided tour wasn’t for another hour, and we were on our way home, so we just walked on our own with the self-guided brochure. The tour desk lady provided some valuable information about things we should not miss before we began. And she stamped our passport on the way out.  (Don’t forget the stamp!)

We met a man under the rotunda who told us that if you rub the boot of Lincoln, it is supposed to bring you good luck. That is why his boot is so shiny under the rotunda. Click the link below to see a short video of our interaction, as well as the changing lights under the rotunda.

The House of Representatives and Senate were next. While they look alike, you will see the House is more arched and contains beautiful roll-top desks. We walked around and even sat in the chairs (they are very comfy), which isn’t permitted in some of the Capitols we have visited.

Infinity mirrors are a fun find in the State Reception Room. I found it ironic that no food or drinks are permitted in the reception room. Isn’t that what you expect to find in a reception 🤪 😂?? Paintings decorated the walls, painted to look like antique tapestries.

Unique aspects are the shifting light colors in the rotunda seen in the previous video, the infinity mirrors in the State Reception Room, and the irreplaceable mahogany wood from the Honduran rainforest found in the Supreme Court Chambers seen in the short video below. I told Tim I hope they planted some trees after that!

I always love looking at the displays of First Lady dolls (and even a dog in this one), similar to the ones we have seen in other Capitols. Here are the first and current First Ladies. It’s fun to witness how the dresses have changed over the years.

In the basement, frames lined the walls with important documents that have been a part of our American History, including The Mayflower Compact, the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, the Constitution of Kentucky, The Star Spangled Banner, a picture of Lady Justice, and several more. Amongst these prestigious documents governing our land was The Ten Commandments. We were pleasantly surprised to see it there.

Even though this might not be the most ostentatious of the Capitols we have seen, it is certainly noteworthy. Tim described it as the “most comfortable” of the Capitols we have toured thus far. It is certainly roomy, and one could easily get lost in there.

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À la prochaine … hasta la próxima vez … Until next time!

Wednesday, October 30, 2024. Columbus Ohio.

I grew up in Ohio, but I don’t recall ever spending much time in Columbus. It was fun to visit the city and spend the night in a King-sized bedroom with a walk-in shower that we could stand under as long as we wanted. Fortunately we looked ahead and learned that the Statehouse was not doing any tours on October 31st. We originally planned to go on Halloween, but we changed our plans when we discovered they would be closed, stopping on the way to the hotel rather than going the next day.

It’s always a good idea to check for hours of operation before your visit to any State Capitol. You will see flags flying at half-staff in this picture. We would later learn from our tour guide that Ohio’s first female House speaker, Republican Jo Ann Davidson, died at 97 years of age earlier this week. Among her many other accomplishments, she was largely responsible for the Capitol’s restoration project. She made a commitment to keep the old Statehouse features rather than building a new one. Her portrait is the only one displayed in the entire building. Tomorrow is her funeral so there will be no public or private tours. 

Ohio Statehouse. We had a good tour guide. Take away the mustache and he reminded us of one of our pastor friends (you know who you are). He started by having us stand on the map of Ohio that was crafted into the floor. The information was reminiscent of my early school years, learning Ohio History.

Ohio is the 7th largest in population. This building is called a Statehouse because of its architecture, rather than a “Capitol,” although it is the capital of Ohio. The interior and exterior have different architectural designs, built in the Greek Revival style, constructed from 1839-61. The interior is Roman, whereas the exterior is Greek, plain and unadorned. This was intentional to save money.

Private citizens exerted their wealth and will to get the Capitol where they wanted it, and that’s exactly how it was paid for. Because of their economic influence, the capital of Ohio moved cities several times in its early history. Ohio limestone is found on the stairs and the walls. The building was restored in the 1980s, back to its original 1861 style.

After much movement, Ohio finally established a law that says the state Capitol has to be within 40 miles of the center of the state. That’s how it ended up in Columbus, and that’s where it has stayed since 1861. Interestingly enough, the state motto is “With God All Things Are Possible,” which is written in the Passport Book.

The Senate and House look very similar, except you can see the Senate has telephones on the desks, and the podiums are different. They didn’t spare the same expense there, as they are made mostly out of marble. This is unique than most of the Capitols we have toured, as the House and Senate are typically very different in their appearance, from the carpet to the chairs, the podium and the chandeliers. Again this speaks to their financial frugality while making a very nice place to hold sessions.

During renovations in the 1980s, they uncovered muse murals and other features that were covered up and “lost” sometime in its history. 

I may have shared a bit more in this Statehouse blog, since it’s from my home state. It was an interesting visit, and I do recommend taking the tour. We may go back for a second visit, as there is an entire museum we had to miss in the timeframe we had. I also read online the “World’s Largest Steel Gavel Sculpture” is located in downtown Columbus near the Ohio Supreme Court building. Somehow we missed that.

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Back at the hotel, a pumpkin carving contest was in process. Here are the very creative pumpkins the staff came up with, one of them nodding at the famous Jimmy Buffet. It seems “carving” has morphed into “painting” these days. But hey, in the words of C. S. Lewis, “Have fun, even if it’s not the same kind of fun everyone else is having.”

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À la prochaine … hasta la próxima vez … Until next time!